Railway signaling device.



S. H. HARRINGTON.

RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE;

APPLICATION FILED I AR. 7, 1905.

Patented Apr; 20, 1909.

5. ZYINVENTOH yawn ' elevation of a portion of a car provided with Serial No.'134,169, filed December 6, 1902,

SAMUEL H. HARRINGTON,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM 0. WILSON, or

NYAOK, NEW YORK.

RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed March 7, 1905. Serial No. 248,929.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL H. HARRING- TON, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signalin Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in railway signaling.

One of the objects thereof is to provide a block signal system in which the signal cir cuits shall be independent of the rails and the action of the signals shall be automatically controlled by the cars.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

he invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described and the scope of the ap lication of which will be indicated in the fol owing claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate three of various possible embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing circuits embodying a portion of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side apparatus em odying my invention. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing a slightly different embodiment. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same, showing one form of support for elevated conductors. Fig. 5 is a diagran'imatic view of the circuits. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of another embodiment.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several view s.

This invention proposes, broadly, the provision of an electric system for the actuation of a system of signals. The precise means by which the current controlled in accordance withthe principles of this invention is utilized and the signal actuated may be of any desired construction, but that shown and described in my co-pending application,

hasbeen found to be peculiarly adapted for use in connectlon herewith.

Referring now to Fig. 1, A represents a track at each side of which are posts or other supports B connected by a suspension wire C. Thls wire is divlded into relatively msul lated sections by means of insulators 1, 1 and 2, 2, and suspended from the central portion and insulated therefrom is a conductor 3 adapted to load current to a trolley pole l. From the sections of the suspension wire comprehended between insulators 1 and 2 upon each side are supported, as by wires 5, a pair of elevated conductors 6. By the word elevated as used throughout this description. and in the following claims is meant at such a substantial height above the surface of the surrounding ground as to be out of reach of passing pedestrians and above the level of any ordinary fall of snow. A battery 7 is bridged across the sections of the suspension wire from which these conductors are supported and to which they are electrically connected, and serves to maintain a difference of electrical potential between the same. Secured to trolley pole 4-, which may be mounted upon the top of car D, are arms 8 provided with contact Wheels 9. These arms are preferably insulated from the trolley pole 4 and are connected by means of a cross arm 10. It will thus be seen that a path of low resistance is provided for battery 7 through suspension wire C, wire 5, contact wheel 9, arm 8, cross arm 10, arm 8, contact wheel 9, wire 5 and suspension wire C to battery.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a slightly different embodiment of my invention, in which the apparatus is shown as applied to a car the motor power of which is derived from a third rail. Referring to Fig. 4., D represents a car upon the track A. Above the car is mounted by any desired means, as in the present case, the roof of a tunnel B, the insulating support O, to Which are secured conductors 6 having bridged across the same a battery 7. These conductors are preferably formed of T-iron having their outer flanges uppermost and secured to the insulating support C. A double-armed, spring-pressed caring 4 is mounted upon the roof of the car D and within the same is journaled a shaft 10 provided with contact Wheels 9 adapted to co-act with conductors 6 and complete the battery circuit from one to the other thereof.

In Fig. 6 is shown still another embodiment of certain features ofmy invention, in which suspension or span-wire 11 stretched between supports 12 and provided with suitable insulators 13, has mounted thereon a trolley wire 14 manner by means of trolley 15 with car D. Upon either side of trolley wire 14 there is suspended from span wire 11 a signaling conductor 16 insulated as shown at 17 and 18. Mounted upon the top of car D is a double-armed sup ort 19 having journaled therein a cross sha t 20 rovided with a pair of suitable rollers 21 a apted to make contact with conductors 16. Bridged across the latter members is a battery 22, similar in arrangement and identical in 'function with the batteries 7 and 7 above-described. The precise manner of mounting the doublearmed support 19 upon the roof of the car forms no art of the present invention and, according y, is not herein described, it being sufficient merely to note that the same is springressed in an upward direction so as to hol rollers 21 in contact with the corresponding conductors 1.6.

Bridged across conductors 6, 6 in the firstdescribed embodiment, or the corresponding parts in those later described, is an electromagnet 23. Normally held closed by magnet 23 and adapted to be retracted by spring 24 is a switch 25 which is positioned in a local circuit containing battery 26 and magnet 27. The signal indicated diagrammatically at 28 is operated directly or indirectly by magnet 27. Although the form of signal shown is the well known semaphore arm, nevertheless, the term signal is v used throughout the following claims in a broad sense as indicating any means adapted to indicate by its position or condition the existence of a certain state of facts.

One of the conductors 6, or the corresponding parts in the later-described embodiments, is divided into insulated sections extending from a oint adjacent one signal 28 to a point simi arly located with respect to the next signal. The electromagnetic mechanism above mentioned is located at the end of each block through which the train first passes, as shown in Fig. 5, assum ing the train to be moving in the direction indicated by the arrow. The battery 7 is preferably located at the opposite end of the block.

As the operation of the above-described embodiments of my invention is substantially the same, that of only one will be set forth. The current of battery 7 is normally of sufiicient strength to maintain switch 25 closed and the signal consequently at safety or inoperative position, but upon the bridging of conductors 6 by arms 8 and 10, a path of such low resistance is furnished that the majority of the current is shunt-ed from magnet 23 and spring 24 is permitted to open the same. As a car passes a point substantially opposite signal 28, magnet 23 is shunted by the cross arm thereon and the signal is automatically set at a position inconnected in the usuali dicating danger. The apparatus for accomplishing this end is not shown, as it forms no part of the present invention. The signal is maintained in such condition as long as the current through magnet 23 remains so low as to be unable to retain switch 25 in a 2 closed condition in opposition to spring 24.

The signal is accordingly held in danger condition until the car has passed out of the block, when the entire current is again directed through magnet 23 and switch 25 closed, and the signal consequently restored to safety position. Trolley pole 4 performs its customary functions and is used merely as a convenient means of support for arms '8.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and reliable electrical signaling system in which the rails are not depended upon as conductors and consequently the expensive insulation thereof is avoided. Also, the elevated position of the signal conductors tends to protect them from unfavorable weather conditions and from accidental or malicious tampering therewith by passing pedestrians. It will also be noted that any break in the circuits will result in the placing of the corresponding signal in danger position. Moreover, this system may readily be applied to rolling stock .and signal systems now in use. Moreover, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the contact with the signaling conductors is maintained irrespective of the precise position of the main trolley pole and, even if the latter member become disengaged from the corresponding wire, nevertheless, the short circuit of the signaling conductors by means of the broad rollers (Io-acting therewith would be continued. The last mentioned feature together with certain other advantages of the embodiment last referred to render the construction therein set forth in many respects preferable to those earlier described.

t will be seen that many of the advantageous features of my invention may be realized in a construction in which a single elevated signal conductor is used and the circuit completed through the ground or in any other desired manner.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, I intend that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be in terpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 1 desire it also to he understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I adapted to bridge said signal conductors and claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a track, a plurality of separate conductors following said track and insirsaid power conductor and insulated therelated therefrom si nalin a aratus brid ed Z? i I? across said conductors, a source of current bridged across said conductors, and traincontrolled means adapted to short-circuit said conductors and shunt said signaling apparatus.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a track, a plurality of separate conductors following said track and insulated therefrom, signaling apparatus bridged across said conductors, a source of current bridged across said conductors, and means carried by a train adapted to short-circuit said conductors and shunt said signaling apparatus.

3. Inapparatus of the class described, in combination, a track, plurality of separate conductors following said track and insulated therefrom, signaling means bridged across said conductors, a source of current bridged across said conductors, and means carried by atrain adapted to short-circuit said conductors and shunt said signaling means, said signaling means being adapted upon said short-circuit occurring to set the corresponding signal in operative condition.

4. In railroad signaling apparatus, in combination, a track, a pair of elevated conductors insulated from said track and divided into a series of relatively insulated blocks substantially meeting at their ends, a source of current bridged across said conductors, an electro magnet bridged across said conductors and normally receiving current from said source, signaling apparatus controlled by said magnet, a car adapted to travel upon said track, and means carrier by said car adapted to short circuit said conductors and substantially shunt the current away from said magnet.

5. In combination, an elevated circuit comprising an elevated conductor and an electro-magnet, a signal held in inoperative position by said magnet, a track insulated from said conductor, and means carried by a car upon said track adapted to shunt said magnet and set said signal.

6. In combination, an elevated circuit comprising two elevated conductors and an electro-magnet, a signal held in inoperative position by said magnet, a track insulated from said conductors, and means carried by a car upon said track adapted to bridge said conductors and set said signal.

7. In combination, a car, a power conductor, signal conductors adjacent said power conductor and insulated therefrom, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor, and means carried by said car maintain Contact therewith substantially independent of the position of said connecting means.

8. In combination, a car, an elevated power conductor, signal conductors adjacent from, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor, and means carried by said car adapted to bridge said signal conductors.

9. In combination, a car, an elevated power conductor, elevated signal conductors adjacent said power conductor, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor, and means carried by said car adapted to bridge said signal conductors and move laterally with respect thereto and remain in contact therewith.

10. In combination, a car, a power conductor, an elevated signal conductor adjacent thereto and insulated therefrom, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor, means carried by said car adapted to complete a circuit through said signal conductor, and a signal controlled bysaidsignal conductor.

11. In combination, a car, an elevated power conductor, signal conductors adjacent said power conductor and insulated therefrom, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor, means carried by said car adapted to bridge said signal conductors, a signal, and means adapted to set said signal upon the bridging of said signal conductors.

12. In combination, a car, a trolley wire, signal conductors adjacent said trolley wire and insulated therefrom, a trolley pole adapted to make connection between said car and said trolley wire, and means carried by said car independent of said trolley pole adapted to bridge said signal conductors.

1.3. In combination, a car, a signal, a trol ley wire, signal conductors adjacent said trolley wire and substantially parallel thereto, a trolley pole adapted to make connection between said car and said trolley wire, and a pair of rollers carried by said car and each of which is adapted to contact a signal conductor and set said signal, said rollers being adapted to move laterally and maintain contact with the corresponding signal conductors.

14. In combination, a car, a power conductor, a signal conductor adjacent said power conductor and insulated therefrom, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor and substantially independent means carried by said car adapted to complete a circuit with said signal conductor.

15. In combination, a car, a pair of elevated signal conductors, an elevated power conductor insulated from said signal conductors, means adapted to connect said car with said power conductor and substantially inconductors adjacent said power conductor,

means carried by said car adapted to contact said power conductor and independent relatively movable means carried by said car adapted to bridge said signal conductors,

1 said last mentioned means being adapted to move laterally with respect to the corresponding signal conductors and maintaln contact therewith.

17. In combination, a track, a normally energized circuit insulated therefrom, a sig nal controlled by the current flow in said circuit, and means carried by a car upon said track to vary the current new in said circuit to actuate said signal.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL H. HARRINGTON.

Vritnesses: I

HELEN M. SEAMANs, ROBERT S. BLAIR. 

